"Nah, it will do." Kat smiled, slowly easing herself to an upright position. "I'm not going to slow us down till tomorrow just so I can get a better crutch."

Fluttershy, who had been quickly talking to Twilight suddenly looked alarmed. "Kat, I am sorry, but you can't be walking around right now! I only just finished wrapping your foot and I am still not sure if need bed rest or not!"

Kat looked nervous, but laughed. "Come on Fluttershy, I am not helpless! It hardly even hurts and the others expect to find us at the farm. If we take to long to get there, who knows what they will do. They might think we got lost and get them self's hurt looking for us or head forward on there own."

Twilight gave Brandon a serious look as she walked forward. "Its attest a full days hike back to Ponyville and even if we take a rail cart, its still going to be a slow and dangerous trip."

Kat's eyes shown as she to looked at Brandon. "Rail cart! That's it, I don't even need to stand if we use one of thous old push powered things! Come on, we can get back, save this Time Turner guy and Apple Jack's family in no time at all!"

Apple Jack nodded. "It could work. After all, if we can just get a pair of push carts on the track we will be able to get home overnight."

"Thank's insane!" Twilight protested. "We have no idea what is out there or if the lines are even free of zombies or trains!"

"And it's putting Kat at risk." Fluttershy added.

"Can we go home tonight?" Dinky asked her mother as Kat furiously protested being treated like a child as she, Apple Jack, Fluttershy and Twilight began bickering in earnest.

Rarity pushed back from Colgate and looked the other Mare dead in the eyes. "Alright well I'm listening now. Look I truly want to make this Work Colgate. What has you so upset? Like I want to know how you are feeling so I can understand you better and help you dear because I do really love you and I'm here for you. So talk to me tell me your fears hopes and dreams and maybe we can help heal some of those emotional wounds." Rarity finished petting Colgate behind the ears.

Cameron jumped up on Octavias back and lifted himself onto the thick branches of the tree, "Ow" Octavia grunted

"Toughen up" Cameron drawled tiredly as he secured the hammock to the slightly higher branches

"Do you want me to get anything while you set that up?" Octavia called up to Cameron

"Um" he stopped to think for a moment "Go say goodnight to the others for me, everything we needs in my bag" he said as she trotted down to the car that held Colgate and Rarity

"Cameron wanted me to come say goodnight from the two of us" she said to G. As she said this she walked over to the car "Goodnight to you to, you two"

"You to" Colgate said back

"To you to darling" Rarity responded

*

Rainbow flew up into the sky and found a reasonably comfy cloud and flew it down as close as she could to the others.

*

When Cameron had finished setting up the hammock he called to Octavia and lifted her in, although it was a bit close for the two of them it had kept them both safe from the Earth pony and human undead, and more or less hidden from the pegusi and unicorns that would be able to reach them. As sleep took a hold of Octavia her mind echoed the word: U2.

Colgate sighed. "I don't know. I have been in pain and tired and just horrible all day and every time I talk to you your either pushing for intimacy or crying." She looked at Rarity, "It feels like you don't want to be with me as much as you want to be with somepony and I happened to be there."

"Look guys, I'll try to settle this." Brandon said. He turned to Kat "I don't mean to be patronizing, but I almost lost you and I don't want to loose you or anyone else." Brandon thought for a moment. "I've got to choose what is best for all of us. It seems to me the rail cart is going to be a lot more trouble than it's worth. I don't think that reducing our travel time would be worth drawing more attention to ourselves. We should stay here for tonight then head out first thing in the morning. Kat I hope you understand my logic here. I mean you can handle the hike, right?"

Rarity frowned "What do you mean dear? The only time I cried was when I thought you were making me choose between you the mare I love and my Best Friend. Not to mention I nearly killed her with those blasts and I helped Kill some pony who had hurt you darling. I don't know much about love but that sounds like love to me. The reason I get so forward with you is that I'm hoping to help you forget about how bad you're feeling.I"m trying to get you to have hope and belief in yourself. I spent the good part of two days pumping magic into you if you don't believe in yourself the magic will fade darling and you'll never walk again. I know you don't want that but moping and sulking will only make you feel worse. We need to communicate better perhaps." Rarity said thoughtfully. "I'm willing to listen and hear you out dear." Rarity finished looking at Colagte with a look of true compassion and understanding.

Colgate sighed and laid down. "I don't know, maybe you are right. But every time you come on to me know, all I can think about is how little I can feel down there and how much of what I do feel is pain." She reached out and rubbed Rarity's hoof. "Maybe its just everything that has happened kingmaker me grouchy." She rolled onto her side and sighed, "Maybe."

* * *

Kat frowned. "Sure." She sat back down as Twilight smiled and Fluttershy hurried over to her side. "I can walk in the morning and we can play it safe, why not."

Fluttershy tentatively patted Kat on the back and soothed, "There, there, there's no need to get angry."

"I'm not mad!" Kat snapped, "I am just frustrated that some rotten son of a," She looked over at Dinky who was looking frighted by her outburst, "Jerk, got the jump on me." She finished, more calmly. "And I don't like feeling like I am slowing us down."

"Woah! Kat!" Brandon said. "Nobody blames you for getting hurt. It's not your fault." Brandon's voice lowered. "To tell the truth I kinda blame myself for not stopping the ghoul from biting you. I no there really wasn't anything else I could have done, but I wish there was. Anyway just relax and don't worry about slowing us down."

"Your sweet." Kat sighed. "But it doesn't matter if no one blames me, point is we are still stuck here and the trip back to there home will take longer and its because of me." She curled a fist and punched the floor. "Dame it. If we miss the others because of this..."

Kat just groaned. "Ya, well blame or no blame, we promised to get set up at your farm and someone is gonna needed to be there by tomorrow evening." She looked down at her leg. "And I think that will mean the rail car or you run ahead and I..." She swallowed, "I'll will meet you there."

"Ok, I don't like this, but I think the best option is for us to take the rail car to Sweet Apple Acres to set up a radio while Kat stays here and recovers." Brandon said " As soon as we get to Ponyville half of us wiill set up the radio while the others come back for you. This is not my ideal plan but it's what I can think of." Brandon turned to Kat. "Will you be ok by yourself or would you prefer someone to stay with you? I can't stay cause I have to set up the radio."

Kat nodded, smiling a little as she did so. "Ya, that's not a bad plan." She looked over the group, "I can't ask Apple Jack Derpy, Dinky, you or Fluttershy to stay with me. You all have things you need to do there urgently."

"Do you want me to stay with you then?" Twilight asked.

Kat thought for a moment then shook her head. "Your going to be far to important in getting them though safely. Not to mention getting an even smaller group back to help me." She smiled at Brandon. "But I will be fine on my own for a day or two. Just leave me food and water and help me set up on the second floor so I don't need to worry about any many surprises." She glared at the door. "No need to go another round anytime soon."

As the others nodded and went about setting up, Dinky trotted over the Kat and gave her a hug. "I am going to miss you miss Cat."

"Hey," Kat ruffled the filly's mane. "Its a day, two at most and then I will be with you back in your own town! Isn't that going to be fun?"

Dinky sniffed. "I guess..."

As Kat continued to caress the tiny pony she beckoned over the Brandon. "Hey," She greeted, "I just wanted to say, thanks for not making this weird." She reached her free hand out and took his. "I still have some ammo left and worst comes to worse I will camp out on the roof. There are few enough flying SOBs that I should be OK if it comes to that." She smiled, "I know you wanted to stay with me or incite on slowing everyone down for my sake, but you didn't. You did what was best for the group. There's more to you then meets the eye, you know that?"

Rarity took Colgate's hoof and smiled sweetly. "You are right Darling! I actually have an idea that will make you feel better just give me a few mins!" Rarity said leaving Colgate confused. Rarity came across Colgate's pack "hmmm I can fix this but first..."

She walked over to Dr. G "Dr. G Darling do you have any water? I still have some willow bark but I neeed a liquid to dissolve it in." Rarity asked. Dr. G nodded and handed her the water bottle. She thanked him and left.

Rarity returned to the back pack and began searching her saddle bags. She found some ribbon and a needle and thread. She began working diligently. In about 20 mins she had re done the bag even making it more comfortable. She then mixed some willow bark into the water and stepped back in the car. It had been about 2 hours or so.

"Colgate Darling I have a surprise for you!" Rarity said smiling brightly.

Brandon gave Kat a smile. "See? I'm not just arm candy. I gots some brains!" Brandon joked. "Anyway, I trust you will take you will take care of yourself. Just try to take it easy and keep an eye out for the returning rail cart." Brandon turned to The group "Alright, get going. Be sure to leave Kat a little more than a day's worth of food." Brandon turned back to Kat "I guess this is goodbye for now. I'll see ya on the other side."

Twilight, Apple Jack and Fluttershy galloped ahead of the rest of the group, slipping into the old train station as a low flying pegasuses swooped over the town, its half blind eyes missing the stealthy ponies. As there came to the rail carts Twilight lifted two up and placed them end to end of the traces, securing them with a length of chain.

"Alright, when the others catch up, we start pushing." Twilight whispered. "Apple Jack and Brandon will take the first car, Derpy and Fluttershy will take the back and I will fend off any attackers."

"And draw away heat from Kat." Apple Jack nodded, smiling.

In the shadows hand with long, claw like fingers wrapped around the side of a crate and a set of jagged teeth glistened as there owner began to softly laugh, unheard by the talking ponies. For now though, it waited.